Hyshu

September 2021

I have covid. 5 out of 5 of us in my household have it. so i am behind in sending, rating, and assigning partners. Bare with me, please. I am fully vaccinated. I had a bad case of this disease in Jan-Feb 2020 before the US had much knowledge of it. I am very careful trying to be safe but this disease knows no boundaries.

04/15/2020 Received my 1000th Heart!

8/26/2019 Received 1000 5's!

12/30/19 Completed 500 Swaps

***01/07/2020**** Not online much with bronchial pneumonia

Updated April 17th, 2019

****Weight loss so far 111 lbs!!! (1 year!!)**** See story below

****I am allergic to EGGS**** In the event I sign up for a swap that you may send food/candy, please note my food allergy. Thank you

Hello! My name is Tami

I am a Mom to two, a 29 girl (Holly-Amber) and 22 boy (Jacob). My son has Down syndrome and we are very involved in the "special needs world". I would love to hear from you if you live in that "world" too.

I am a GrandMa to a smart and beautiful 7 year old girl. She is 7 going on 16. Ugh sometimes! :) She is my joy and I take being a GrandMa very seriously. I call her my GrandGirl. Her name is Autumn Rose and we collect things that say Autumn or are Autumn themed on them. She loves seeing her name on things. She has started First Grade and is very excited! She has started soccer and loves it. She was in Dance but wanted to try a sport. She has 4 penpals/swappers from Swap-bot and she is very excited to send and receive mail

I, also, have my Mom, (Susan) living with us all. Four generations under one roof doesn't always mesh well. But we try.

I live in Fort Worth, Texas, USA

I am single

I am in Graduate school. On a break. One day soon I plan on having a MBA. I love learning whether it is from a book, TV, a letter or postcard from someone.

We need to learn something everyday or the day was wasted.

I enjoy any postcard I receive. I realize someone had put thought in selecting that particular card for me and I appreciate the effort. I enjoy when there is something written on it besides the username. Make it personal. It is a piece of you that you are sending to me. Make it worth the postage.

My absolute favorite postcard is a vintage, written, stamped, postmarked card. I love everything about the old cards, especially I like to read what the sender was saying. If you have one to share, I would love it!

As for stickers and washi tape, Yes, please! I love it all. Every postcard I send will have at least 1 sticker, washi and multiple colored writing. My cards have been described as a "party" on the back. I want the recipient to smile when they get my card. My envelopes will have stickers and usually washi as well.

I was born on the Winter Solstice. December 21 in USA I am a Sagittarius. Chinese Zodiac is a Snake

Autumn is my favorite season, followed closely with Winter. Spring is too humid and scary storms in Texas. Summer is just brutal in Texas! I prefer the Months that end in -BER. September to December is my happy time.

I am a Christian by faith but am more Spiritual these days. I respect all beliefs and culture. It is what makes us unique and the world go around. Please don't push your religion/beliefs on me and I won't do it to you.

Deep purple is my favorite color with yellow being my least favorite. Neon colored anything gives me a headache. Please don't send!

I dislike coffee. I love tea, will drink it hot but prefer it Iced and Sweet with lemon or a lime.

I don't smoke. So nothing I send will smell.

I dislike sloths and snakes, anything gorey.

My favorite Holiday is Christmas.

I believe in the paranormal. I believe in Life after Death. My favorite ghost hunting show is Ghost Adventures. I have watched them since they first came on. They have captured great evidence of the paranormal.

I choose the mountains over the beach, the cold over the hot, and spicy over mild.

And most importantly. I keep my friends close and my enemies closer.

I prefer mystery and suspence novels but will read many different genres.

I love anything by Brad Metzler, John Saul and most Stephen King's,

I am currently reading the Harry Potter series for the first time. I am also reading Brad Metzler's newest non-fiction book titled "The First Conspiracy" It is about the plot to kill George Washington

I have other books checked out from the library besides what I am currently reading.

I am, also, reading through Jane Austen's 6 novels. I have read Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice. I am currently on Emma.

I will pick some more Classics after I am finished with Jane Austen's.

I like Classical music. I like 70-80's Pop, Rock, and Heavy Metal. I like Country & Western. I like anything by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

My favorite singers are George Strait, Garth Brooks and Brooks & Dunn.

My favorite groups are Def Leppard and Journey.

For TV, I am currently obsessed with The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Superstore and The Goldbergs. I enjoy Project Runway and Project Runway: All-Stars and Ghost Adventures.

For mindless TV I watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Orange County and Dallas. I like Little Women: LA and Little Women: Atlanta. I enjoy Sister Wives.

During the Summer, I watch America's Got Talent.

I like to scrapbook. I am exploring making cards. I am relearning to Crochet. Then I want to relearn how to knit. I like to Cross-Stitch.

I am learing to do wax seals on letters. I am trying to teach myself to do lettering and calligraphy. Not going to well, so far!

I welcome any supplies and patterns you may have of any of my interest, especially yarn. Any kind, any color. When I get better I want to make a blanket with yarns from all over the world. Please send at least 12 inches or more.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery

On April 17th 2018, I had weight loss surgery. I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. Basically 75% of my stomach was removed, leaving only the top portion which is like a tube. Any positive thoughts and/or prayers are appreciated for the long road ahead!

My recovery has been slow, but not so much from the surgery itself but from the fact that I got dehydrated in the hospital which caused me to be weaker than normal. I also had 2 bad knees and the night I came home from the hospital I fell twice in the nighttime. This has considerably slowed me down. I had Physical Therapy and a nurse coming to the house. The PT has been great, she is great! But that is finished now.

Hardest part is no Coke (or anything carbonated) or drinking with a straw. It creates gas and fills up stomach. I was on Clear Liquids for 4 days, Full liquids which includes creamed soups for 3 weeks while stomach healed. I was on soft foods for 2 weeks, and I am now on solid foods. I have to figure out a food plan that works for me. Stomach fills up with just a few bites so I will have to choose my protein and produce carefully. I have to chew until the food is mush which I am learning how to slow down and do that. If I eat too much, I get a strong pain at the top of my stomach and almost instantly I vomit. Sorry to add that but I am transparent and tell it like it is. Learning how much I can eat.

Decided the easy part was quitting the Cokes. The hard part is not drinking anything 30 minutes before, during and 30 minutes after each meal. I am one who likes to drink a lot of water or tea and especially when I eat. Fluids fill you up too much and can make you vomit if you have food in your stomach.

On June 7th 2018, I went to a consult with an Orthopaedic Surgeon about double knee replacement. I needed to find out at what point in my weight-loss journey I could have surgery on my knees. He said both my knees are "REALLY, REALLY BAD". Of course, I knew that! He will operate on both at the same time. We discussed weight. He found the best rehab results would be with a 71 + lb loss. I met my Goal!

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Double Knee Replacement

I met my weight-loss goal for the Orthopaedic surgeon to operate on me so on September 5th 2018, I had DOUBLE total knee replacement. This is something I have needed for over 20 years but weighed too much until my recent weight-loss after Gastric Sleeve surgery in April.

I have a long road of Rehab ahead of me and many more months of using a walker to get around and then needing a cane. I am anxious for the day I can walk unassisted and without pain. Any prayers or positive thoughts are welcomed.

I was in the hospital for 2 days and a Rehab hospital for 12 days. I came home on Sept 19th

My In-Home Physical Therapy consisted of 4 weeks and 12 hours over 12 visits. I was able to get the same therapist I love from when I had therapy after my Gastric Sleeve. We started therapy on 9/21.

I had Outpatient Therapy 3 times a week from Oct. 15th -Jan 10th, 2019. I do my exercises at home every day.

Had a 3 week Post-op with Orthropaedic surgeon. He said my incision scars are healing good. He did some x-rays to check about the metal and plastic replacements and everything is in it's place and looking good.

I have moved from a walker to a cane. I am still unsteady on my feet and I fear that I will fall. I will be using a cane for a while.

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General Health

October 22nd 2018, I had an appt. with my Primary Care. He has taken me off diabetic medicine and said I was now called a Diet Controlled Diabetic. He also halved my blood pressure medicine as I have been very low (100/60, 90/50_ with a pulse in the 50's). I have been on blood pressure medicine since I was 21 so to have it reduced by half is amazing. My most recent A1c was 4.8!!

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Osteopenia

February 2019, I had a Bone Density X-ray and it seems in my hips I have the beginning of Osteoporosis, called Osteopenia. I have to focus on getting enough Calcium and Vitamin D, daily. This will be challenging as I have to also get enough protein and produce in for my Gastric Sleeve recovery. My little stomach can only hold so much!! I am having Labs and further testing done and return in mid-March.

March 2019, My Vitamin D levels are too low. My cells that eat the old bone material are also eating my good bone. This is reverseable with vitamins and food. I started taking Liquid Vitamin D 1000 IU every day. Having trouble eating the "rainbow" (food from each color group on a list) every day since I can only eat so much at a time. I return in July to check labs and see if I have improved.